4 Steps: Getting Organized

step 3

Establish a home for everything

You have eliminated or thrown away the unnecessary; what you’re left with are the components that will represent the newly organized space. The issue then becomes in what fashion you will group these components together prior to going back into the system. The method you choose will, to some degree, dictate just how long you’re able to stay organized this time around. This applies to a weekly schedule as well. For example, group together the various duties by room, the various errands by location, and so on.

Begin by grouping like things together so that when you assign a new home for them, they will all fit nicely and neatly. If you’ve ever seen a U.S. television show on the Style Channel called Clean House, you know that this is where they generally introduce plastic bins, often with lots of enthusiasm. These bins are not going to save the world, but if you think they can help you, go buy a small stack.

step 4

Re-assemble groups in a logical sequence

You’re almost done — there's just one final step left. Here, you’ll need to restore all those components back into the system. Before doing so, establish the most effective method, one that’s not only easy for you to remember but also one that makes good sense: alphabetically, big to small, by priority — whichever suits you, so that you remain this organized a week or a month from now. At your desk, this might mean alphabetizing in a clockwise fashion, beginning on your left-hand side. If you are organizing a weekly schedule, the same thing applies. For example, schedule all of your outside errands for a certain time on a certain day. Do the same for assigning a day to do housework.

This last step is where you truly try to stamp some order on a disorderly world, order that can last a decent amount of time before the inevitable drift sets in.